settling in

Today I went on a bus tour of London with other Queen Mary study abroad students. It was nice because we first went to all the place we went yesterday on our adventure. This as cool because yesterday we didn't really know what half of the buildings and statues we saw were, or that random buildings were significant in any way, so it was nice to learn about the places we found by accident.

the eye across the river

these two are of the building where where King Henry the VIII spent his first "official" night with Anne Bolyn. How romantic right? 

 

these hats are real bear fur, apparently they haven't found a synthetic material that they like yet.

st paul's cathedral 

 you can't see very well, but this is the bridge that in the 6th harry potter movie the death eaters blow up at the beginning. 

tower of london

tower bridge

 

bad pic, but this is the oldest thing in London, Cleopatra's needle.

After the tour was over, my friends Allison, Lauren and Kali (all adventure buddies from yesterday) and Zach and Thomas returned to campus to put on some more layers (it was so cold!) and then decided to take the 25 bus again to do some shopping. We got off once we found a Top Shop (there are about 3 on this bus route). After looking around a Top Shop and a neighboring H&M (I almost got this really awesome mariachi-looking jacket, but it turned out to be 35 pounds instead of 10... not worth it) we got school supplies. I finally  have a planner now, which is good because I have so many deadlines coming up for things that I was starting to panic. But now that everything is all lined out its cool.
Getting back was an unexpected adventure. We couldn't find the bus stop to return to QM because all the shops were on a one way street going to other direction. After wandering around we ended up getting on the 25 bus and riding it all the way around.
My flat-mates are all moved in now since classes start tomorrow, I have met most of them. Apparently there is a mouse on our floor though that is small enough to fit under doors.
There is a towel rolled up on the floor by my door and it will remain there until the mouse is gone.

Last night a group of us went to the pub right by campus. It was weird to order a drink and not be asked to show ID or anything. I guess that means I look older then 18... yay! Or, more likely, the people who run the pub are used to QM students and could tell I was American and thus probably 18.
I have 2 classes tomorrow, my German cinema class and Gender and Politics. I don't know where the film class is yet, so I need to figure that out before 10 AM.